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software development

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ZCode – Harness for GLM-5.2
24 days ago
- GLM Coding Lite offers a base usage allowance for lightweight workloads.
- ZCode supports 20+ coding tools, including deep integration with ZCode.
- GLM Coding Pro includes everything in Lite with 5x usage for professional workloads.
- GLM Coding for high-volume workloads adds 20x Lite usage on top of Pro features.
- ZCode enables complex work management with continuous planning, execution, and verification.
- Start and steer ZCode from platforms like WeChat, Feishu, or Telegram for remote work.
- Optimized for GLM-5.2 across reasoning, coding, and multi-agent collaboration.
- All ZCode installers are available for every platform.
Microsoft Needs Windows Lite
a month ago
- Microsoft is losing developers, who are switching to macOS and Linux, with only content creation and gaming initially keeping them on Windows.
- Windows Lite is a stripped-down Windows version without telemetry, ads, AI, or .NET, focusing on win32 with a lightweight shell and graphics drivers.
- Targeted at gamers and developers, it offers a stable, backward-compatible platform with monthly patches and manual update control.
- If successful, Windows Lite could attract ordinary users, institutions, and governments, becoming the primary Windows version with lower costs and increased revenue.
- It is priced at $49 for a permanent license without subscriptions.
Working With AI: A concrete example
a month ago
- AI is a powerful but potentially dangerous tool for development, with concerns over intellectual dulling and environmental impact.
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice problem illustrates developer over-reliance on AI, risking a lack of understanding in systems.
- A bug in hyperscript's parser showed AI's strength in investigation and test creation, but weakness in proposing clean solutions.
- A human's deep knowledge of the codebase was crucial to avoid technical debt and implement a proper fix.
- AI can help older developers compensate for memory and endurance issues, but may accelerate cognitive decline if over-relied upon.
How information theory saved my word game
a month ago
- The author is a software engineer who created a word game, Motplot, inspired by crosswords, where players deduce letter placements without guesswork.
- Developing the game was challenging because generating deducible puzzles proved unexpectedly difficult due to confusability between cells, an issue related to Shannon's information theory.
- The breakthrough came by applying Claude Shannon's concepts of signal noise and confusability graphs, allowing the generator to avoid ambiguous moves and produce thousands of solvable puzzles.
- The game highlights how adding context resolves ambiguity, turning potentially unknowable letters into clear deductions, emphasizing simplicity without guesswork.
Superpowers 6
25 days ago
- Superpowers 6 offers significant performance improvements: builds are up to 50% faster and up to 60% cheaper in token costs.
- Key optimizations include merging spec compliance and code quality review agents, pre-generating review packets to reduce git commands, and improving task-specific agent guidance.
- The improvements were validated through an autoresearch loop with 25 experiments, identifying effective strategies like terse reviewer contracts and conditional implementer tiering.
- The evals suite at https://github.com/prime-radiant-inc/superpowers-evals was crucial for testing changes across various coding agents and harnesses.
- Superpowers 6 is available for installation from https://github.com/obra/superpowers, with updates to plugin marketplaces following soon.
- Prime Radiant is hiring for a Superpowers Community Engineer role at https://primeradiant.com/jobs/superpowers-community-engineer/.
The cost YAGNI was never about
a month ago
- YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It) is not about saving effort from writing code but about the cost of speculative structure built before it is needed.
- Speculative structure incurs two costs: optionality (committing based on guesses limits future flexibility) and NPV (negative present value from paying costs earlier and delaying revenue).
- Even with perfect foresight, these costs remain because optionality is lost and time value of money applies regardless of correctness.
- The rise of AI-generated code makes YAGNI more relevant, not less, as it reduces typing effort but doesn't eliminate the underlying economic costs of premature structure.
- YAGNI is a principle of timing, emphasizing that building too soon is as risky as building too late, and should be applied regardless of coding costs.
The Short Leash AI Coding Method for Beating Fable
23 days ago
- The post discusses using AI agents to write high-quality software, emphasizing a method suitable for expert developers who want to enhance performance without compromising quality.
- Current AI agent approaches, like those promoted by YouTubers, often lead to low-quality code and lack of understanding, as AI can go off track, especially in niche areas with limited training data.
- The "Short Leash" method is introduced, which involves active developer involvement, including planning, reviewing diffs, denying permissions when needed, and committing after subtasks to maintain control and quality.
- For AI reviews, combining human and AI review is recommended, with AI acting like a linter and humans catching higher-level issues. PRs should disclose AI usage and be thoroughly reviewed by the author before submission.
How working with a blind client revealed invisible accessibility gaps
a month ago
- Accessibility reviews for a workflow project took 18 hours, far exceeding the initial estimate of a few hours.
- The client had blind and deaf employees, requiring serious accessibility considerations beyond standard engagements.
- Platform limitations, such as Microsoft's browser apps and SharePoint's read-only tags, hindered screen reader usability.
- Workarounds included sending email updates instead of using inaccessible pages and creating tailored training materials.
- Using a screen reader revealed the noise and clutter that sighted users overlook, emphasizing the need for better design.
- The experience highlighted gaps in software accessibility when tools are built primarily for sighted and hearing users.
- Recommendations include integrating accessibility standards early, advocating for inclusive tools, and reporting issues to companies.
Best Simple System for Now
22 days ago
- The article discusses a dichotomy in software development between 'perfectionism' (building thorough, sustainable systems) and 'pragmatism' (quick, hacky solutions), but proposes a middle path called the Best Simple System for Now (BSSN).
- BSSN is defined as the simplest system that meets current needs, written to an appropriate standard, with no extraneous code and exactly the required robustness. It emphasizes designing 'for now' without anticipating the future.
- Key components of BSSN include: 'for now' (avoiding future speculation), 'simple' (minimizing complexity for current requirements), and 'best' (writing high-quality, intention-revealing code without cutting corners).
- The article argues against common objections to BSSN, such as it being overkill for prototypes, incomplete, or inefficient, by highlighting benefits like early delivery, risk reduction, and adaptability through iterative development.
- Adopting BSSN requires good habits (e.g., avoiding over-engineering), courage to try new approaches, and humility to accept uncertainty. It encourages starting small, focusing on feedback, and evolving systems as needs change.
- Examples illustrate BSSN in practice: a custom JSON marshaling solution for nine entity types and the XStream XML library, both demonstrating simplicity and focused functionality.
- The conclusion emphasizes that BSSN allows for both quality and speed, enabling teams to build replaceable, joyful code (using principles like CUPID) that adapts to changing requirements without unnecessary complexity.
Coding without AI: a revolutionary new way to work
22 days ago
- Manual coding fosters deeper understanding, allowing for better predictions, improved debugging, and expertise in the codebase.
- AI-free code tends to be more reliable and durable, working well over time with fewer bugs and simpler fixes.
- Handwritten code is often simpler and more straightforward, making it easier to read, maintain, and debug.
- Manual coding speeds up delivery by forcing early decisions and reducing ambiguity, despite slower initial typing.
- Coding without AI eliminates token costs, offering financial savings and independence from external tools.
- Manual coding provides greater job satisfaction, creativity, and ownership over the work compared to AI-assisted coding.
- Avoiding AI reduces the risk of AI-related health issues, promoting a healthier work-life balance.
Godot bans "vibe-coded" code contributions
22 days ago
- Godot is updating its contribution policy to ban almost all AI-generated code contributions.
- New contributors (with ≤3 merged PRs) must get explicit permission to submit major changes.
- AI assistance is limited to menial tasks like code completion and must be disclosed.
- The team cites demoralizing, low-quality AI PRs and lack of understanding from contributors.
- Contribution discussions must remain human-to-human, with no AI agents in communications.
- Context is highlighted as crucial in software development, which AI often fails to grasp.
Why don't people use Git properly?
21 days ago
- The author introduces Arca, an educational project with a landing page, offering early access soon and free slots for donors.
- Git is a crucial version control system widely used in software development, but many people struggle with it, leading to issues like merge conflicts, poor commits, and misuse of repositories.
- The problem stems from inadequate education and experience with git, especially among those who are not in core software roles and lack institutional support or motivation to learn.
- A significant barrier is git's reliance on command-line interfaces, which many developers, especially those on Windows or using IDEs without CLI familiarity, find non-intuitive and difficult to master.
- People often don't understand the problems git solves, such as fast rollbacks, deployment automation, and risk-taking in development, because they lack hands-on experience with projects that require these features.
- The author compares git to Roman armor, explaining that the safety it provides allows developers to take more risks and be more ambitious, but without experiencing this security, users may develop defensive habits and avoid new tools.
- To improve git usage, the author suggests integrating version control early in education and promoting DevOps rotations in companies, but acknowledges the challenges in scaling these solutions.
Returning to Zig
21 days ago
- The author was initially drawn to Zig in 2020 as a promising replacement for C, appreciating its compile-time code execution and simple abstractions.
- They left Zig due to instability, frequent breaking changes, and an immature ecosystem, switching to Rust for its stability and strong tooling.
- Concerns about Rust's governance, including corporate influence and slow response to LLM-generated code policies, led the author to reconsider Zig.
- In 2026, Zig remains unstable but familiar, with added features like a package manager, though its ecosystem is still limited compared to others.
- Zig prioritizes simplicity over Rust-like memory safety, using release modes and testing to ensure safety, which the author finds acceptable for certain use cases.
The Age of Personalized Hardware Is Coming
24 days ago
- Software is becoming increasingly personal, enabling individuals to build custom applications for work and life.
- Personal hardware devices are proliferating, with wearables alone exceeding 600 million units annually, driven by cheap components like ESP32 boards.
- The key issue is who writes the software for these devices, as current models restrict user control over device functionality.
- Agents require access to sensors (e.g., cameras, microphones) on devices to leverage physical context, necessitating software that runs locally.
- There is a growing demand for software tailored to many small, single-purpose devices for individual users.
- Platforms are opening up for software development, with tools like Pebble's open-source watch software, Meta/Mentra's web-based glasses development, and Google's WebXR making it accessible.
- The web serves as a trusted, proven foundation for building software, lowering barriers with coding agents aiding in setup and development.
- Current embedded toolchains (e.g., C++, SDKs) are complex and unlike web development, hindering broader interface creation for devices.
- GEA aims to raise the software boundary by allowing web-like development that compiles to native code for various platforms, without requiring embedded expertise.
- Hardware challenges (e.g., manufacturing, certification) remain, but the focus is on enabling more people to write software for personal devices.
- The future of personalized hardware hinges on software and who can write it, emphasizing user-driven development for tailored devices.
Rust is in TIOBE Index top 10
19 days ago
- Rust enters the TIOBE Index top 10 for the first time in July 2026.
- The TIOBE Index celebrates its 25th anniversary in July 2026.
- Python ranks first in the TIOBE Index for July 2026, followed by C and C++.
- TIOBE introduces a Programming Language Flowchart to help developers select languages for specific use cases.
- The TIOBE Index measures language popularity based on skilled engineers, courses, vendors, and web search data.
- Long-term trends show C, C++, and Java have remained top languages over 25 years.
- Feedback led to improvements in the index, including handling of dialects and addition of SQL.
- The index includes data on the top 50 languages and a hall of fame for annual award winners.
- Suggestions for index enhancements include adding non-English queries and tracking recently added pages.
- Complete historical data is available for a fee, covering over 150 languages from 2001 onward.
How to Generate an API Key
17 days ago
- Use cryptographically secure random number generator (CSPRNG) for 128 bits of randomness.
- Add human-readable prefix indicating type and environment (e.g., sk_live_).
- Store only the SHA-256 hash; never store plaintext keys; show key only once.
- Verify keys via four-step process: format validation, hashing, database lookup, scope check.
- Implement revocation and rotation with grace periods for compromised keys.
- Differentiate between secret keys (sk_) for server-side and publishable keys (pk_) for client-side.
- Follow Stripe's widely adopted API key format as a model.
- Use Express middleware for authentication in Node.js applications.
- Avoid common mistakes like hardcoding keys in frontend bundles, logging raw keys, and skipping prefixes.
How Version Control Will Evolve for the Agent Boom
17 days ago
- Git will remain popular but must evolve for AI agent-driven development.
- Storing agent session logs with code captures context and intent, improving accuracy and review.
- Decentralized Git hosting is needed to avoid bottlenecks from centralization and support agent scalability.
- Developers will orchestrate agents, using Git as a source of truth for coordination and collaboration.
Experiences with Local Models for Coding
17 days ago
- Small local models for agentic coding were evaluated using a viability funnel covering RAM, speed, tool calling, functional correctness, conversation handling, task complexity, and code quality.
- The evaluation process went through manual evals, automated evals, and day-to-day use, with tasks including sorting/cumulating a bar chart and creating a bar chart from access log data in JavaScript/TypeScript, plus Bash and Python scripts.
- Results varied: some models like Qwen Coder Next 80B MoE produced functional code but crashed in extended conversations, while others like Gemma 4 26B succeeded manually but failed in automated tests, with performance differing between machines.
- Day-to-day use with Qwen3.6 35B MoE showed success for small, well-defined tasks (e.g., Bash/Python scripts, website updates) but struggled with complex logic, requiring careful task selection and more code review.
- Key factors affecting viability include task complexity, number of files to edit, specificity of instructions, and tech stack, with local models offering a 'detox' by encouraging slower, more thoughtful coding but lagging behind larger models in autonomy.
Software Has Changed
12 days ago
- Software development has changed drastically and quickly, leaving experienced engineers shell-shocked.
- Development is now faster but not necessarily better, focusing more on quantity over quality.
- Flow states have been replaced by 'thinking...' states, and code is often discarded without thought due to cheap experiments.
- Good developers can now do more, using saved time to review, polish, refactor, and add extra features.
- Technical debt can be addressed before it reaches the main codebase, improving overall code quality.
- The field has changed overnight, requiring adaptation to build faster and think at a higher level to avoid tunnel vision.
- A key question arises: if the end result is solid, thoroughly reviewed, and trusted code, does the creation process truly matter?
Show HN: PlanWright – A control plane for AI coding agents
12 days ago
- Planwright addresses the shift in software development bottlenecks from coding speed to human-paced ceremonies like planning and acceptance, now that coding agents are faster.
- It inverts planning by using AI to synthesize unstructured inputs (like meeting transcripts and Slack) into structured objectives with machine-checkable criteria, where humans approve instead of write.
- It inverts acceptance by triaging completed objectives—automatically clearing mechanical criteria and routing only judgment-based items to humans, with cryptographic signatures for audit trails.
- The system integrates with Claude Desktop and Claude Cowork, using a board to manage objectives, agent execution via MCP, and human approvals, creating hash-chained records for compliance.
- Pricing tiers include Free for solo developers, Team for small teams, Business for compliance needs, and Enterprise for large organizations with advanced features.

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software development

ZCode – Harness for GLM-5.2

Microsoft Needs Windows Lite

Working With AI: A concrete example

How information theory saved my word game

Superpowers 6

The cost YAGNI was never about

The Short Leash AI Coding Method for Beating Fable

How working with a blind client revealed invisible accessibility gaps

Best Simple System for Now

Coding without AI: a revolutionary new way to work

Godot bans "vibe-coded" code contributions

Why don't people use Git properly?

Returning to Zig

The Age of Personalized Hardware Is Coming

Rust is in TIOBE Index top 10

How to Generate an API Key

How Version Control Will Evolve for the Agent Boom

Experiences with Local Models for Coding

Software Has Changed

Show HN: PlanWright – A control plane for AI coding agents